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Overseas French media: from Guadeloupe to French Polynesia
France's overseas territories get their news from dailies such as France-Antilles and Le Quotidien de La Réunion, sites like Tahiti Infos, the public La 1ère network and many private radio stations, in French but also in Creole, Tahitian and Kanak languages.
A press born with the colonial trading posts
A Gazette de la Martinique was already appearing in the 1760s, and Île Bourbon, today's Réunion, saw its first news sheets in the late eighteenth century. Printed in small runs, these papers mostly relayed the governor's decisions and sugar prices.
Which dailies do Caribbean and Réunion readers buy?
France-Antilles, published in Martinique and Guadeloupe editions, has been through several recent restructurings. In Réunion, Le Quotidien and Le Journal de l'île share the readership, while France-Guyane covers news from Cayenne, Kourou and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni.
French, Creoles, Reo Tahiti and Kanak languages
French dominates the written press, but radio stations make wide use of Caribbean, Guianese and Réunion Creole. In Polynesia, Reo Tahiti is heard on air, and in New Caledonia Radio Djiido broadcasts from Nouméa with programmes open to Kanak cultures.
The Pacific, a world of its own
Nouméa and Papeete live ten to twenty hours apart from Paris, with news that looks towards Australia and Asia. The guide to the Tahiti press details the Polynesian media scene, centred on Tahiti Infos, Radio 1 and TNTV.
Outremers360, Zinfos974 and online outlets
Outremers360 follows all the territories from Paris, while Imaz Press and Zinfos974 publish in Réunion. In Mayotte, Le Journal de Mayotte and Mayotte Hebdo cover a territory that became France's hundred-and-first department in 2011.
Agencies and the flow of wire copy
No territory has its own news agency: newsrooms rely on AFP, which has correspondents in several territories. Prefectures and high commissions also post their statements online, a valuable source during the cyclone season.
The public La 1ère network
Successor to RFO, France Télévisions' Outre-mer La 1ère network runs a radio station, a TV channel and a website in each territory, from Martinique La 1ère to Wallis et Futuna La 1ère. France Ô stopped broadcasting in 2020.
Following your island from mainland France
Hundreds of thousands of people from the overseas territories live in the Paris region and Lyon. They keep up with home through the La 1ère websites, streamed stations such as RCI in the Caribbean and the Facebook pages of local titles.
Economy, cyclones and local sport
Business news revolves around the high cost of living, tourism, Caledonian nickel and the Kourou space centre. Sites also follow regional football, Polynesian va'a canoe racing and sailing races such as the Route du Rhum to Pointe-à-Pitre.
A national legal framework
France's 1881 press freedom law applies in the overseas departments and in the Pacific territories alike. Institutional debates, particularly in New Caledonia after the 2018 to 2021 referendums, make cross-reading several sources essential.
Paid access and digital editions
Caribbean and Réunion dailies offer digital editions by subscription, while the La 1ère sites stay free. The Réunion press guide sets out the offers from Saint-Denis, and the Guadeloupe press guide covers Pointe-à-Pitre and Basse-Terre.
Checking a cyclone alert or a breaking story
During a red alert in Réunion or a hurricane in the Caribbean, false instructions spread fast on WhatsApp. It is safer to confirm with Météo-France, the prefecture and the La 1ère station of the territory concerned.
Keeping up with overseas news from afar
- Choose the territory you follow and open its guide to identify its daily paper and main news site.
- Bookmark the territory's La 1ère site, which is free and updated several times a day.
- Stream a local station, such as RCI in Martinique or Radio 1 in Tahiti, for news in Creole or Tahitian.
- Sign up for overseas Météo-France and prefecture alerts during the cyclone season.
- Read Outremers360 for an overview of decisions taken in Paris that affect the territories.
- Allow for time differences, from UTC-10 in Papeete to UTC+11 in Nouméa, to date a story correctly.
Access to overseas territory media
| Type of outlet | Access | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Outre-mer La 1ère sites | Free | Radio, TV and catch-up in every territory |
| Regional dailies | Paid subscription, variable price | Digital edition and PDF replica |
| Local news sites | Mostly free | Funded by local advertising |
| Private radio stations | Free streaming | Programmes in French and regional languages |
| Subscriptions in the Pacific | Paid in CFP francs | Indicative amounts, varying by publisher |
Practical facts about overseas French media
- Languages: French, Creoles, Reo Tahiti, Kanak languages, Shimaore
- Public broadcasting: France Télévisions' Outre-mer La 1ère network
- Reference agency: AFP
- Dailies: France-Antilles, France-Guyane, Le Quotidien de La Réunion
- Time zones: UTC-4 in the Caribbean, UTC+4 in Réunion, UTC+11 in Nouméa, UTC-10 in Papeete
- Currencies: euro in the overseas departments, CFP franc in Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna
Reading traps in overseas news
- Passing on a fake cyclone warning circulating on messaging apps without checking it with Météo-France or the prefecture.
- Mistaking an anonymous Facebook page that borrows a local radio station's name for the station's official account.
- Reading an article on New Caledonia without considering whether the quoted source belongs to the pro-independence or loyalist camp.
- Sharing an old video of heavy swell or flooding presented as new during a fresh weather event.
- Forgetting the time difference with the Pacific, which can make an event dated the following day look like an error.
Common questions about the DOM-TOM press
What is the difference between DOM-TOM, DROM and COM?
The term DOM-TOM is still widely used, but the law distinguishes overseas departments and regions, such as Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Réunion and Mayotte, from overseas collectivities like French Polynesia or Wallis and Futuna. New Caledonia has a special status.
Can you watch La 1ère channels from abroad?
France Télévisions' sites and apps carry the La 1ère stations' news bulletins, often accessible outside France. Some rights-protected programmes may be geo-blocked, but TV news and current-affairs reports are generally available on catch-up.
Is there a news outlet covering all the overseas territories?
Outremers360, based in Paris, is the main site devoted to all the territories. France Télévisions' La 1ère portal also has a shared section bringing together news from the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific.
Where can I find news about Mayotte?
Mayotte La 1ère, Le Journal de Mayotte and Mayotte Hebdo are the most followed sources on the island. For government decisions, statements from the prefecture in Mamoudzou usefully complement these outlets, especially during health or climate crises.
French overseas territories covered
Browse every country or territory press page connected with the DOM-TOM section. Each link opens a dedicated guide with major newspapers and news media.
News sites and radio stations of France's overseas territories
- France-GuyaneFrench Guiana's main news title, covering crime, politics, society, local community life and sport.
- Réunion La 1èreRéunion's public TV and radio (France Télévisions), offering live local news, replays and daily news bulletins online.
- Tahiti InfosFrench Polynesia's leading news website, with daily politics, economy, society, culture and sport from the islands.
- Guyane la 1èreFrench Guiana's public radio and television, with news bulletins, reports and continuous coverage of the territory.
- Zinfos974Online news site from Réunion covering society, politics, local crime, health and the island's economy.
- Polynésie la 1èreFrench Polynesia's public radio and television, with continuous news from Tahiti, Papeete and the outer archipelagos.
- Outre-mer La 1ère (franceinfo)Public broadcaster's news portal for France's overseas territories, with a dedicated French Guiana section and TV bulletins.
- Outremers360Outlet devoted to France's overseas territories, with an Indian Ocean section covering Réunion and Mayotte.
- Radio1 TahitiTahiti's private general radio station, whose website publishes continuous local, political, economic and sports news.
- Réunionnais du MondeOnline magazine for the Réunion diaspora: profiles, events, good addresses and a guide to the island's radio stations.
- Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes – PolynésieFrench Polynesia section of the New Caledonian LNC news site, relaying regional news from the French Pacific.